Mission of Mercy
by Katherine Tripp
Summary: When Jesse goes on a humanitarian trip to Africa, he brings back more than just stories and pictures.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Mission of Mercy

Author: Katherine Tripp

Disclaimer: I own none of the Diagnosis Murder characters. I wish I did, but I don't. The other characters in the story are fictitious characters that do belong to me 

Summary: When Jesse goes on a humanitarian trip to Africa, he brings back more than just stories and pictures.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I've been a fan of Diagnosis Murder for years, but this is my first try at a story. Feedback is appreciated, I love hearing what people think. I have an idea as of where this story is heading, but we'll all have so see what happens, cause it's not completely clear in my head yet. Anyways, happy reading!

**MISSION OF MERCY, CHAPTER 1**

"Jesse, you're absolutely insane!"

"No I'm not!" Jesse said, quickening his step to catch up with Steve.

Steve stopped suddenly and turned around to face his friend. "Yes you are! You hate the outdoors, camping with you is always a disaster, mosquitoes love you, you can't live without air conditioning- you're just too much of a city boy to do this. You'll regret it; going to Africa definitely isn't something you're cut out to do."

"But I love helping people. This kind of work is my life." Jesse protested. "Besides," he added, grinning. "I already have my plane ticket."

"Does my father know about this?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, I do." Mark joined Jesse and Steve outside the doctor's lounge. "And I think it's great."

"Great?" Steve asked. "It doesn't sound great to me. It sounds dangerous."

Jesse's grin grew even wider. "Ah, I see what it is Steve. You don't think I can't do it, you're worried about me. After all, what would you do without me?" He laughed.

"Steve," Mark added. "I've done work overseas before. It's incredibly rewarding and I never regretted it. And I always came home in one piece."

"The hospital needs this consultation." Jesse explained, his tone more serious. "With so much focus on the war against AIDS and other diseases in Africa, we need to develop a partnership to do our part to help." They entered the doctor's lounge and sat down as Jesse continued. "But we can't have a partnership without seeing what organizations are doing good, effective work in that area. It's important, and the Board of Directors here wants me to go check things out."

Steve sighed; this battle was as good as lost. "So what made them decide to pick you?" He asked, and then smiled as he continued. "They obviously don't know your weaknesses like I do." He joked, trying to cover his still-present concerns.

"I'll prove it to you Steve." Jesse said, ignoring the joke. "This is my adventure; it's going to be great!" He grinned from ear to ear.

"Maybe I should come with you to make sure you stay out of trouble." Steve said. "You know, make sure you don't get your pretty little hands hurt out there in the elements. I need to protect my best dishwasher!" He smacked Jesse on the back. "So when do we get the joy and privilege of taking you to the airport."

"Tomorrow!" Jesse said excitedly.

"What!" Mark and Steve said in unison.

"Yep, tomorrow. I didn't tell you sooner because I didn't want to be talked out of going. I've had my Typhoid and Hepatitis shots, have Malaria pills and lots of first aid supplies, and I'm packed and ready to go!"

"Gosh Jess, I knew you were getting ready, but I didn't think it was this soon." Mark said. "But you sound ready and prepared. Have you already started on the Malaria medicine?"

"Yep, one week before, just like I'm supposed to."

"Make sure you still wear long sleeves and pants, and use repellant though." Mark added. "Malaria medicine doesn't always work, and there's Dengue and Yellow Fever you could get from a mosquito. Not to mention the food and waterborne illnesses. Don't drink any water that isn't from a purified source or hasn't been boiled for at least 10 minutes. And wear a mask if you come in contact with any potential infectious diseases or outbreaks. And-"

"Mark," Jesse cut him off. "I appreciate your advice, but I'm not a tourist. I've been reading about Tanzania and its health hazards for weeks now. I've taken every precaution and I'll be fine." He stood. "I have to go check on a few patients and meet with the board one last time. Are we still having dinner at your house tonight?"

"Yeah, at 7. Will we see you there?" Mark asked.

"Yep, I'll be there." Jesse started to walk out of the room. "Oh, yeah, and, um, thanks." He added quickly.

"Thanks for what?" Steve asked.

"Um, I don't know, it's just that, well, it's nice to know that you are concerned." Jesse responded awkwardly, and left the room.

"I just hope there's nothing to be concerned about." Steve said, turning to his father. "Dad, are you sure that Jesse will be alright? I mean, he's never done something like this before."

"I'm sure he will be." Mark replied. "Jesse is an incredibly competent doctor and he'll do great over there. He has a genuine concern for people. I think this experience will dramatically change him and he may not want to come home. Besides, it's only for two weeks. They won't let him do anything too crazy."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Steve replied. "But if he gets into trouble I'm not going over there!" He said, knowing that the exact opposite was true. Jesse was like his little brother and he'd do anything for the guy.

"And I'd be sure to join you for that long plane ride." Mark replied, as if reading his son's thoughts.

"Here are the reports for your research, Dr. Travis." Board member Charles Sanders said as he handed Jesse yet another stack of papers. "Do you understand what we're asking of you while on this trip?"

"Absolutely," Jesse replied. "We're looking into a partnership with NEED International to provide funding and short term personal for their clinics in Tanzania. I'm supposed to go to observe their clinics and partner hospitals to see if their claims are true and if a partnership with this organization would be beneficial to the people of Tanzania and to Community general." He rattled off the statement that had been drilled into his head for the past three weeks.

"That's correct." Sanders replied. "I spoke with Randall Hansen, the project manager for NEED, and they'll be waiting for you at the Dar es Salaam airport. Mr. Hansen has arranged for you to meet with Asia Chatham as well. Miss Chatham will help with translation if need be. She is the public health representative for Hospital of Hope, the Hospital that we would like to correspond with as well. Mr. Hansen assured us that they will provide you with ample information and allow you to see the workings of their administration. Do you have any questions?"

"No, that sounds good." Jesse replied. "Thank you for this opportunity, I'll see you in two weeks." He smiled as he shook each of the board member's hands.

**Tanzania, two weeks later**

"Mjomba Jesse, Mjomba Jesse!"

Jesse whipped his head around to see Aminia running towards him. The little 7 year old girl had stolen his heart from the first day he had set foot in her village. She had taken to calling him 'mjomba Jesse', Uncle Jesse, and he absolutely loved it. She was a beautiful little girl, with chocolate skin and jet black hair pulled up in pigtails. He was told that her name means 'to believe in', and her big smile and equally big heart had captured his.

Aminia's mother and father had died from AIDS a few weeks before he arrived. She had one older sister still alive who, at 16, had become Aminia's caregiver. It was painful to think about their situation, in desperate poverty and no one to really care for them. He scooped her up in his arms when she reached him.

Aminia started speaking quickly in Swahili, her eyes filling with tears. Jesse sighed, he wished he knew the language, but her expression spoke of what she was saying. He put the little girl down and called out to the woman a few yards away. "Asia, could you come here for a sec?"

Asia Chatam had been his lifesaver. The 27 year old aid worker had spent several years in Tanzania, and spoke Swahili with ease. She had patiently translated for Jesse on many occasions. She said a quick goodbye to the woman she was speaking to and walked over to Jesse. "Hey Jesse, what's up?"

Jesse smiled sheepishly. "I promise this'll be the last time I ask. But could you translate for me."

"Absolutely." Asia crouched down next to Jesse to be eye level with Aminia as well. Aminia spoke for a moment, then Asia turned to Jesse. "She wants to know why you are leaving."

"Aminia, I have to go back to my home in America, and help some boys and girls there. I'm going to miss you."

Asia then spoke to Aminia, and got a quick response from the little girl. "She wants to go with you." She said with a small smile, looking at him.

Jesse smiled sadly as he fought back the tears. "Gosh, I don't know what to say to her." He said quietly.

"Don't worry," Asia put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll explain it to her. But I must say, she's never asked any of our volunteers that before. You must be her favorite." She turned back to the little girl and explained to her. Jesse saw Aminia's little head bob up and down, and Asia whispered something in her ear.

After a moment Aminia threw her arms around Jesse, nearly knocking him to the ground. "I love ou Mjomba Jesse." She said, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

"I love you too Aminia." Jesse said, his own tears threatening to fall. The jeep was waiting to begin his long journey back home. He never thought it would hurt to leave, he thought at the beginning of his trip that he'd be incredibly eager to return home. But the opposite was true. Although the western amenities offered by his comfy home in America were nice, the simplistic nature of the way the people in Tanzania lived was calming and beautiful. And they were in such desperate need of medical and economic help; it was painful to see all the suffering.

Aminia let go of her grip after a few moments. Asia told her that Mjomba Jesse had to go, so she said a tearful goodbye "Asante Sana, Mungu aku Bariki!" She said to him. 'Thank you very much, God Bless you'.

Jesse gave the little girl one last hug and turned to walk to the jeep. Many of the people in the village called out "Haya" 'Goodbye' to him as he got into the jeep. Asia hopped in behind him.

"Haya" he called back as it started to roll away. He then turned to Asia. "I didn't think it would be this hard." He said quietly, allowing the tears to fall.

"It's terribly hard." Asia responded. "That's why I try to not leave. Amidst all the difficulties, struggles and pain there's such a joy that comes from helping these people."

Jesse smiled. "Yeah," he agreed. Trying to lighten the mood, he grinned and said. "I didn't know that I'd have such a lovely escort to the airport."

Asia laughed. "Well, be flattered, but it's not all for you. I have some things to pick up in the city, and TONS of pointless meetings. I also have to, uh, get something tested." She finished quickly.

Jesse noticed her change in tone. "Get what tested?"

"Oh, um, it's the, water, yeah the water," she said awkwardly. "I have to make sure the well water is clean when I come into town, so I get it tested in a lab."

Jesse looked at her. "Asia, is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Asia responded. "Everything's fine, it's just a routine check. So," she said, changing the subject. "Are you going to give your faddies a good report on us?"

"Faddies?" Jesse asked.

"Oh yeah, sorry." Asia smiled. "Mike in the education sector of NEED calls those middle aged men who always sit in meetings, making decisions for us little people out on the field 'Faddies'. You know, they're usually fat, bald and a little ignorant of what actually goes on anywhere."

Jesse laughed. "Yes, faddies. We have quite a few of those at Community General. But of course I'll be giving them a praise filled report of NEED and the Hospital of Hope. Hopefully I'll be able to come back for a visit when the partnership gets underway."

"That would be great." Asia responded. "Oh, and Jesse," she added.

"Yeah?"

"Would you do me a favor and not tell Randall about the water testing if you see him? It's just that he, he likes everything to be perfect, and I do this every month just to keep up with things, I think if he knew it would freak him out."

"Okay," Jesse replied. "I won't tell him. But are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"You'd tell me if there was?"

"Yes Jesse, I would." Asia assured him.

They kept up a lively, random conversation for the remaining hours to the city. They said a quick goodbye at the airport, Asia promising to keep Jesse up to date on his new little friends at the village through email, and Jesse promising to give Asia inside info on the partnership developments. Jesse grabbed his bag, went through his final security checks, and before he knew it, he was on his way back to America, full of stories to tell of his adventure of a lifetime.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers Apply

Author's note: I'm so sorry for my delay in posting. I know everyone uses this excuse, but I have had a lot of computer issues, which resulted in me losing chapters and getting discouraged. But I'm back, so here's chapter 2!

Chapter 2

Ah the London airport. Jesse was greeted a welcome in English as he arrived in the airport. The air was crisp and cool, a stark contrast from the sweltering heat that was Tanzania. He paused and looked around for a moment. It was so organized. The tiled floor was shiny and clean, the terminal brightly lit. Everyone was in a hurry, and no one noticed the slightly disheveled American staring dumbfounded at his surroundings. Jesse smiled and chuckled to himself. It was too different, strange almost. No one came up to him, asking him for money or trying to sell him anything. There was no shouting of 'Hey Mister, mister!' It was orderly, quiet compared to the chaos that he had come from. He missed it though. There was something about Tanzania that had captured his heart. The smells, the sounds, the people, it was incredible.

Jesse rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to shake himself out of his fog. His eyes caught a glimpse of a green logo in the distance. Starbucks! That would wake him up. He picked up his duffle bag and hurried over to the coffee shop and got in line. The thought of Starbucks made him happy. While he did love his experience in Tanzania, the comforts of home still beckoned him. Starbucks was definitely one of those comforts. He looked down at his watch. His flight for LA left in two hours. It was going to be a long flight. He wondered if caffeine would be a good thing before that flight. He couldn't ever seem to fall asleep in airplanes anyway, so he doubted that it would make any difference. His body was definitely having coffee withdrawals, he was getting a headache. Going from multiple cups of coffee a day to none was catching up with him. He ordered a white chocolate mocha and a bagel, and walked to his terminal. In just over two hours he'd be on his way home.

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The Beach house- 9 Hours later

"Hey Dad," Steve called out as he came upstairs. "When's Jesse's flight coming in?"

Mark looked at the piece of paper on the counter with Jesse's flight information scrawled on it. "In about an hour." He replied. "Steve, why don't you go pick Jesse up while I start on dinner. I'm sure he'll be starving when he gets off the plane, so I can have it ready when you guys get back here."

Steve nodded. "Okay. Is Amanda coming over too?"

"Yeah, with CJ."

"Great. I think I'll go ahead and go, just in case there's traffic. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay Steve. Be careful." Mark replied.

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Jesse was jarred awake as the plane landed at LAX. He jerked up. He had fallen asleep? How did that happen? He must have been more tired than he thought. The last thing he remembered was taking off in London. He had never slept for a whole flight before. He groaned slightly and shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. His head was throbbing, probably due to the change in altitude. He had been on quite a few planes in the past couple of days. He stretched his arms and legs and rubbed his eyes, the aching in his head forgotten for a moment. He smiled, he was home! He couldn't wait to see Mark, Steve and Amanda. Maybe they'd have dinner at the beach house.

Jesse quickly stood up when the plane stopped, ready to get his bag and to get off the plane. He grimaced a little, his back was aching. That was understandable; he had slept in an awkward position for 8 hours. His body felt weak, and his bag felt much heavier than before. He needed to wake up, he was home! He blinked, trying to get his vision to clear, and focused on getting off the plane.

The crowd inched forward slowly, and finally Jesse found himself in the terminal. He quickened his step, but that effort exhausted him immediately. He paused for a second to catch his breath. This was weird, why was he so exhausted? He had plenty of sleep on the plane. Jet lag and this altitude change were worse than he'd imagined. He began to walk again, but found it to be difficult. He was so close to the exit, he had to keep moving. He concentrated hard, and put all his energy on getting to his destination. Man, his bag was heavy. It wasn't that heavy before. He kept going.

Steve was anxiously waiting on the other side of the terminal. He had seen that Jesse's plane had landed and was ready to see his best friend. Finally he saw Jesse come out of the terminal exit. "Jesse!" He called out, and started to walk over to his friend.

Jesse smiled when he saw Steve. "Hey Steve!" he said when he saw Steve coming towards him. They hugged, in a manly way of course.

Steve stepped back and looked at his younger friend. Jesse looked worn out and exhausted. He was also pale. It must have been a rough flight. "Here, let me take your bag," Steve said as he took Jesse's large backpack.

"Thanks," Jesse replied, clearly relieved that the weight of his bag was off of his shoulders.

"Do you have a checked piece of luggage?" Steve asked.

"No, I left most of what I brought in Tanzania." Jesse answered. "So we're ready to go."

"Great." Steve said, as they began to walk to his car. Jesse struggled to keep up with Steve's pace, but he tried to not let his exhaustion show. Steve wasn't oblivious to his friend's struggle, so he slowed his pace a little, and looked at Jesse. "Jess, are you okay?"

Jesse nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm just tired, and the jet lag and change in altitude gave me a headache." He didn't mention the now intense throbbing in his lower back and legs. He continued to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, and acting like he was okay.

"Okay." Steve said, still not convinced. "Dad's fixing dinner, how does that sound? He stayed home so he could have it ready for us when we got there. Amanda and CJ are coming over too."

"That sounds great." Jesse replied. "I can't wait to see them."

"Yeah, we missed you. I can't wait to hear about your trip. But it'll probably be good for you to tell us all at the same time, so you don't have to keep repeating yourself."

Jesse nodded, and yawned. "Yeah, it was incredible." He sighed. "I learned a lot, and experienced a lot."

"I can imagine," Steve said.

They lapsed into silence for a moment. The setting sun was shining in the car. Jesse squinted, it was really hurting his eyes. He closed his eyes for a second to try to make the pain stop. Maybe it would help his headache too. He took a deep breath, trying not to let his discomfort be too obvious, and hoping that Steve was paying more attention to the road than him. He relaxed for a second, and immediately fell asleep.

Steve had noticed his friend, and was shocked to see that Jesse had fallen asleep. He would've thought that Jesse's excitement over being home would have trumped all exhaustion. That's how he normally acted. He hoped Jesse was okay, this wasn't like him at all. But then again, Jesse had never been to Africa, that whole experience probably drained him.

Steve's phone rang, and he quickly grabbed it, looking over to see if the ring woke Jesse up. He hadn't moved, he was sound asleep. Steve looked at the caller ID, it was Mark. "Hey dad." He said.

"Hey Steve. Are you and Jesse on your way?"

"Yeah, we're about 20 minutes out." Steve replied.

"I bet Jesse's full of exciting stories huh? He probably hasn't stopped talking since he got off the plane."

Steve sighed. "No, actually he's been pretty quiet. As soon as our conversation lulled he fell asleep. I hope he's not sick."

"He's probably exhausted from jet lag and the trip in general. But I can take a look at him when you get here."

"Okay." Steve replied. "We'll see you in a few minutes." Steve closed his phone and looked back over at Jesse. He was still asleep.

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15 minutes later Steve pulled into the driveway of the beach house, right on time. He turned off the engine of his truck and turned to Jesse. "Hey Jess, wake up. We're here." He said, shaking Jesse's shoulder gently.

Jesse woke up quickly, flinching at the light coming through the windshield as he sat up. "Did I fall asleep?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, you've been out for a good 20 minutes, most of the ride home." Steve answered.

"Oh I'm sorry Steve, that was rude of me. I didn't mean to fall asleep." Jesse said.

"It's okay Jess, I know you're tired." Steve said. "Come on, let's get inside, I know everyone can't wait to see you."

They walked inside and were greeted by Mark, Amanda and CJ. There were hugs all around. "Welcome home Jess." Mark said as he hugged his young friend. "We're glad you made it back safely."

"It's good to be back." Jesse replied, smiling as genuinely as he could. The throbbing in his head seemed to be getting worse by the second.

"We can't wait to hear all about your trip and the partnership." Amanda said. "You'll have to tell us all about it."

"Definitely," Jesse said. "It was pretty incredible."

"I imagine it was." Mark said. "Well, dinner is ready, Jess you can tell us about your trip over dinner. I made grilled chicken, salad and potatoes."

"That sounds great Dad." Steve said.

"Yeah, it does." Jesse agreed. He didn't have much of an appetite though, which was weird. He hadn't eaten anything since his bagel nearly 12 hours before.

Mark noticed Jesse's strained demeanor as they sat down. Jesse was pale, but his cheeks were flushed. He had dark circles under his red rimmed eyes. He seemed to be in pain too. Hopefully Jesse wouldn't be too stubborn and would let Mark take a look at him after dinner.

The dinner looked amazing, but Jesse was having difficulty eating. He just wasn't hungry at all, and the thought of food made him nauseous. He stared at his plate, shifting his food around. He didn't want to waste all that food, he hadn't eaten anything that looked that good in weeks. He took a bite of the chicken. It was delicious, but he felt instantly full. He kept cutting and moving around his food, hoping his friends wouldn't notice.

It didn't work. Mark was growing increasingly concerned, as were Amanda and Steve. CJ was oblivious as he devoured his food. Amanda exchanged a concerned glance with Mark. "So how's that jet lag Jesse?" Mark asked, trying to lighten the mood that had settled over the table.

Jesse forced a small laugh. "Yeah, I guess I look pretty rough. I'm just tired." He lied. Tired was an understatement. He was feeling worse. He just needed to sleep, that was it. But first he had to last through dinner and get back to his apartment.

"Is your head still hurting?" Steve asked.

"Oh, yeah, I do have a headache." Jesse admitted. "But I haven't gotten a lot of sleep, and I've been in the air a lot. I'll get a good night's sleep and I'm sure I'll be fine."

Mark wasn't convinced. Jesse's voice sounded weak and strained. "Well I can take a look at you after dinner before Steve drives you back to your place to be sure."

Jesse shrugged. "I'm sure it's nothing Mark, I'm fine."

Mark decided to change the subject. "Okay. So, tell us a little about your trip."

"Yeah Jess, how was it?" Amanda asked.

Jesse smiled. Good, he could talk, that way they wouldn't notice that he wasn't eating. "It was incredible." He replied, perking up a little. "I met some amazing people and saw some things I'll never forget. And I think the partnership will be really good for Community General." He yawned.

"That's great Jess. Did you take a lot of pictures?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah, on my digital camera." Jesse answered. "I'll have to get them developed." He yawned again, deeply.

"Well, why don't we get cleaned up in here and have some coffee and dessert." Mark said. "Jess, why don't you go in the living room and relax for a few minutes, we'll get cleaned up in here."

Amanda looked at her watch. "Wow, it's getting late. CJ has school tomorrow, so we should go."

"Mom!" CJ whined. "I don't wanna!"

"Too bad little guy, we have to. Now say bye to everyone."

CJ gave Jesse a hug. "Bye Uncle Jesse, I'm glad you're home."

"Me too CJ." Jesse replied.

Amanda gave Jesse a hug. "I'm glad you made it home safe Jess. Now get some rest okay?"

"Okay," Jesse replied. "I'll see you soon." He slowly walked over to the couch in the living room and sat down.

Amanda leaned over to Mark. "Keep an eye on him and let me know how he's doing tomorrow." She said softly.

"I will." Mark replied. "Hopefully he's right and it is just jet lag, but I don't know. There are some pretty bad illnesses that run rampant in that part of Africa."

"Yeah, well keep me updated." Amanda said. "I'll see you guys later."

Steve started on the dishes while Mark made some coffee. When they had things cleaned up he walked into the living room. Jesse had, of course fallen asleep. He was in a half sitting, half laying position on the couch. Mark gently lowered him into a laying position on the couch and felt his forehead. "He's pretty warm." He said as Steve walked into the room.

"Yeah?" Steve said. "That's not good."

"Well, I can't tell if he's running a fever or not. He may just need to sleep." Mark leaned down. "Jesse? Jess, wake up."

Jesse groaned and opened his eyes. "Did I fall asleep again?" he asked weakly.

"Yeah. Why don't you just sleep here tonight? You can stay in the guest bedroom. And I'm sure we have some of your clothes here so you can take a shower and change."

Jesse was too weak to argue. He slowly sat up and pushed himself into a standing position. He swayed slightly, and started to shuffle towards the guest room. Sure enough, he had some clothes in one of the dresser drawers. He grabbed a pair of boxers and a t-shirt and went into the bathroom.

He somehow managed to take a shower, but ended up sitting down for most of it. It felt good to be clean though.

He got dressed and crawled into bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

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Oh no, what's wrong with Jesse? What could it be? I'll update as soon as I can! – KT


	3. Chapter 3

**Tanzania**

She had a sense of dread.

She was dreading that she was right. That there was something more to it, or that something sinister had taken place, and for the time she was powerless to stop it. She walked back into the World Heath Organization building, wringing her hands. She didn't stay gone long, but she couldn't take the anxiety of the unknown anymore. She walked right back into a small office.

"Maureen."

"Hey Asia," A thin, beautiful woman stood. Her white lab coat contrasted her deep chocolate skin. "You are back early,"

"I know, I'm sorry," Asia answered. "I couldn't wait any longer." She looked behind her and lowered her voice. "Did you get the results?"

"Yes, I did."

"And?"

Maureen sighed. "I am not sure what I saw, or what the report says. It's typical of what you described, but there is something else in the water."

Asia took the printout and scrutinized it. She tugged at a stray strand of her dark brown hair out of nervousness with her free hand. "This isn't a natural substance." She said, looking up.

"I know," Maureen answered.

"It's coming from the water. The supposedly clean well water."

"Yes,"

"The well water that was supplied by-"

"Shh," Maureen cut her off. "You know that by testing this water for you without my supervisor's approval I have put my career in jeopardy. This will have to be conducted formally if you want it to stop."

"I can't do that," Asia said gravely. "This is way larger than I suspected."

"Does he know that you are suspicious of his actions?"

"No," Asia shook her head. "At least, I don't think so."

"What are you going to do?"

Asia sighed. "I don't know. But I need to get back. Thank you Maureen. I won't tell anyone that you helped me."

Maureen smiled. "You are welcome. I owe you my life Asia, it is the least I can do. You have helped me and my family, so now I hope I can help you. But be careful, this sounds dangerous."

Asia hugged her friend. "I will, don't worry. I'll see you soon."

**The Beach House**

The morning sun shined brightly through the window. Jesse's still body started to stir. He groaned and opened his eyes. The light was so bright. He cried out in alarm and shut his eyes. But it was still too bright. He pulled the extra pillow over his head in attempt to shield his eyes from the bright sun.

Everything hurt. His legs, arms, back, head, neck, even his fingers and toes. His head was throbbing, the pressure was overwhelming. His legs and arms felt like they were breaking. It was agonizing. He curled up into a ball, trying to get the pain to stop. It was hot in the room, he was sweating profusely. He threw the covers off, but that caused the extra pillow to slip off of his face. The sun was so bright, but he didn't want to move anymore. He whimpered softly, what was wrong with him? It was so painful. His fetal position wasn't helping at all, nothing was helping.

He tried to relax, to fall back asleep. Maybe it was a bad dream. He squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could, but it didn't help. He wanted unconsciousness, sleep. He just laid still, in his agony.

Mark looked at the clock in the kitchen. It was a little past 10. Maybe he should check on Jesse. His young friend had been asleep for over 12 hours; he needed to check on him. He walked to the door and tapped on his softly. "Jesse?"

Jesse heard his mentor's voice. "Mark?" he asked weakly. His voice was barely audible behind the door.

Mark slowly opened the door. "Jess? You okay?"

Clearly the young man was not okay. Jesse didn't move from his curled up position. "Could you shut the blinds, it's too bright." He whispered.

Mark quickly walked over to the window and shut the blinds. "Is that better?"

"Not really," Jesse said as he slowly opened his red rimmed eyes.

Mark walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Jess you don't look too good."

Jesse laughed softly. "Do I look as bad as I feel?"

Mark felt Jesse's forehead. He sighed. "You're burning up." He had brought his bag in with him just in case. "Let me take your temperature." He put the thermometer in Jesse's mouth. It beeped after a minute and Mark took it out and looked at it. "103.2," he reported. "That's very high."

"I feel really bad," Jesse said, his voice drained and soft. "Everything hurts. My head, legs, arms, back. And the light hurts my eyes."

"Hmm," Mark said. "Are your legs and back aching, or is the pain more intense, like throbbing?"

"It feels like the time I broke my arm, only my whole body feels that way." Jesse answered. "Mark, what's wrong with me?"

Mark sighed. "I think I might know. Jess, did you get bit by a lot of mosquitoes in Tanzania?"

"No more than usual." Jesse said. He sighed and closed his eyes. "A few times, but I took precautions. Why? Is it malaria?"

"No, I don't think its malaria. It sounds like you have Dengue fever. It's not quite as lengthy, but it's much more painful. A blood test would say for sure."

"Dengue? I don't remember reading that it's widespread in Africa." Jesse shifted his weight, flinching.

"It's more widespread in parts of Southeast Asia, but it's still in Africa." Mark answered.

"Dengue is a virus, so that means, that means that it can't be treated, right?"

"I'm afraid not. Only supportive care. But I think you need to go to Community General. Dengue can be life threatening if you're not monitored."

Jesse groaned. "I don't want to move. I'm not sure if I can."

"I know its painful Jess, but if we get you to the hospital you'll be able to rest. We'll give you something for the pain. Hold on one sec." Mark went into the bathroom and ran water over a washcloth. He walked back into the bedroom. "I'll help you to the car, then you can put the washcloth over your eyes to shield the sun."

"Okay, I'll try." Jesse slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, Mark supporting him. "I need some sweatpants or something." He said. "I think there are some in the top drawer."

Mark grabbed some sweatpants and Jesse stiffly pulled them on. The effort exhausted him even more. He just wanted to curl back up in a ball and sleep. He started to lie back down but was stopped by Mark. "Jess, let's go to the car. I know you want to sleep, but you need to go to the hospital. I'll help you."

The slowly made their way to the car. Mark put his arm around Jesse's waist as they walked. Jesse leaned heavily on his older friend, every step drained him. Mark opened the passenger door of his car, leaned the seat down, and helped Jesse inside. "Okay Jess, you made it. You won't have to walk now." He handed Jesse the washcloth and went around to the driver's side.

Jesse laid down in the seat, and put the washcloth over his eyes. "Okay, just drive quick." He said softly. He tried to relax again as Mark drove to the hospital, but his throbbing body wouldn't let sleep come. "Some morphine would be really nice right now." He muttered.

"We'll be there soon Jess." Mark said.

**88888888888888888888888888888888**

Mark got Jesse admitted and settled. With some simple painkillers and a mild sedative, Jesse was asleep quickly. Mark walked to the lobby and was about to call Steve when he saw Amanda running towards him.

"Mark! One of the nurses told me that Jesse was admitted here. What's wrong?"

"He's pretty sick; I think it might be dengue."

"Oh no! Are you sure?"

"We took some blood to make sure, but the symptoms are all there. Severe headache, malaise, joint and muscle pain, sensitivity to light, and he just came back from a tropical area with known dengue carrying mosquitoes."

"Poor Jesse," Amanda said. "Is he in a lot of pain?"

"He was, and he will be off and on. We gave him some painkillers and something to help him sleep."

"What room is he in?"

"309."

"Okay. I'll stop by in a few hours and see how he's doing. Are you going to call Steve?"

"Yeah, I was about to," Mark replied. He dialed Steve's cell phone. He sighed, "I got his voicemail," He said to Amanda. "Hey Steve, it's me. I'm at Community General with Jesse, he's pretty sick. Give me a call when you get this, and I'll talk to you then." He turned to Amanda. "I'm going to go get the blood work. I'll see you in a little while."

A few minutes later Steve rushed into Community General. "What room is Dr. Travis in?" he hurriedly asked the receptionist.

She recognized Dr. Sloan's handsome son, smiled slightly, and looked at her computer screen. "309," She said sweetly, smiling at him.

Steve ran down the hallway until he got to the room. Mark was inside, studying Jesse's chart. "Dad!" He said loudly. Then, noticing Jesse's sleeping figure, he lowered his voice. "What's wrong? I came as soon as I got your message."

"Hey Steve," Mark replied. "Jess woke up this morning really sick, so I brought him in. We just got his blood work back, he has Dengue Fever."

"Dengue Fever? What's that?" Steve asked.

"It's a mosquito borne virus, there's a certain type of mosquito that carries the virus. It's not as chronic as malaria but it's still serious and makes you very very ill. It causes a high fever, severe muscle pains, nausea, intense headaches, sensitivity to light, sometimes a rash or internal bleeding. The headache and muscle pains are so severe that it's hard to sleep. We gave Jesse a painkiller to help him sleep."

"Is it curable?" Steve asked, worried.

"It just has to run its course. Usually it's only severe for a week or so. Jesse will probably be pretty week for at least another month after that. We have to monitor him though; the virus can quickly progress into a hemorrhagic fever and cause internal bleeding and shock."

"So he should be okay?"

"Yes, he should be fine. It's just going to take a while. And it's not going to be comfortable for him at all. He'll sleep for awhile though."

Steve looked over at Jesse's still form. "Yeah, that's good. Are you sure he's going to be alright?"

"Well, there could be complications, but it's not likely. Usually hemorrhagic fever doesn't develop with the first case. He should be fine."

**Tanzania**

Asia nervously walked back into the village. She felt like she was entering enemy territory, even though this had been home to her for 3 years. She needed a better water sample, a larger amount that she could save just in case she needed to get out quickly. She immediately went to the large well in the middle of the village, right next to the hospital. She pulled out her large plastic water bottle and began to fill it.

"Since when do you drink the well water?"

Asia jerked around, shocked. "Oh, hello Randall." She said, trying not to appear too shocked. "I'm trying something new," she explained, smiling nervously.

"You might want to be careful, even though the water is clean, it still may not be healthy for you."

Asia tried not to appear as scared as she felt. "Oh, I'm being careful." She said. "And besides, if the water is clean, why would it be a problem?" She asked. "You talked about how state of the art this system is, it should be fine for anyone to drink."

Now Randall was the one looking nervous. "Yeah, it is state of the art, it should be fine. Um, go ahead, have at it."

Asia smiled. "Um, I will later. I'm not really thirsty right now." She looked down at her phone. "Oh, I have a meeting. I'll talk to you later Randall." She lifted her water bottle, smiled, and walked away. As soon as she got out of earshot, she shook her head "Crap, that was close," she muttered to herself.

Randall stayed at the water supply, still nervous. He looked at the well. There was no way she had figured it out. He'd give it a couple of days, he was probably being paranoid. But if she started snooping around, well, he thought as he looked at the well, he'd just have to make sure she couldn't figure anything else out.

**  
Chapter 4 coming soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Hello, I hope you're doing well. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, I'm so happy that people are enjoying the story! Keep 'em coming, they encourage me to write faster. I'm going out of town to the middle east in a couple of weeks, then I have finals right after that, so it may be a month before the next chapter, but I'll try to get one posted before I leave. Just a future warning. Happy reading!!! -KT

**Chapter 4**

Amanda had settled down in the chair next to Jesse's bed for several hours. She had a couple of files to sort through, some reports to proofread, and she wanted to be there when Jesse woke up. She looked over at his sleeping form. Even with the sedative he still looked uncomfortable, a slight frown shadowing his youthful features. He was pale, with dark shadows under his tightly closed eyes. The two weeks in Tanzania clearly took their toll on him, his small frame was thinner than two weeks before. She reached over and brushed his tousled blonde hair back from his forehead. She sighed sadly. He was burning up. They had checked his temperature an hour earlier, it was hovering at 103. She knew that there wasn't much they could do to help that, the disease had to run its course.

She moved her hand down and took his hand. He stirred, and groaned. Amanda took her hand away quickly. She hoped she hadn't hurt him.

Jesse's eyes fluttered open. He had been teetering on the brink of consciousness and Amanda's gentle touch pulled him out of his slumber. He flinched at the little light that was coming into the room. It was dim, but still painful to adjust to at first.

The pain had dulled to a persistent throb, but it wasn't nearly as intense. His eyes focused on Amanda.

"Hey Jesse." She said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Hi Amanda," Jesse whispered. "I'm okay. How long have I been asleep?"

"Since right after Mark brought you in, so nearly 10 hours. They gave you a sedative."

"Yeah, I remember." Jesse said. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "I think it might be wearing off."

"Do you want me to call the nurse? Mark didn't want you to have strong medication frequently, but she could give you some Tylenol."

"No, it's okay. It's not too bad right now." Jesse attempted a smile.

Amanda placed her head on his forehead again. "You still have a very high fever, it was 103 last they checked."

"Yeah, I feel like I'm cooking from the inside." Jesse said, closing his eyes momentarily.

Amanda smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry sweetie, but it will get better. The pain is supposed to subside after a few days, and then the fever will go down." She took a washcloth from the side table and placed it on his forehead, stroking his hair. "But you need to keep hydrated. They have you on IV fluids, but you need to be drinking as much as you can as well." She poured some water into a glass from a pitcher.

Jesse reached over to take the water. His hands were shaking badly, and the movement exhausted him.

"Here Jesse, let me help you." Amanda held the glass to his lips and he sucked eagerly through the straw. "Slowly, you don't want to overdo it."

Jesse leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I feel, I feel so helpless." He muttered, looking pitifully at Amanda.

"I know honey, but it'll get better soon." Amanda replied. "Why don't you try to get some more sleep. I'll sit here with you."

"No, it's okay." Jesse said. "We can talk." His voice was strained and weak.

"Are you sure?" Amanda asked. "You need your rest."

"Been sleeping for awhile. I, haven't seen you in two weeks. What's new?"

Amanda smiled. "Well, nothing really exciting happened while you were gone. Steve didn't have any incredibly interesting cases, path lab work was pretty straightforward. I even heard that the ER was pretty quiet. Thankfully, since it's best doctor was gone."

Jesse smiled. "That's good that I didn't miss anything."

"Nope, not a whole lot. We missed you tons though. I know Steve did, I'm sure the books are way behind at Bob's."

Jesse laughed softly. "Yeah, Steve's helpless when it comes to that."

"What am I helpless about?" Steve's voice rang out as he walked into Jesse's room.

Jesse looked at his new visitor. "The books," he said, a faint appearance of his trademark grin on his face.

"Hey, that's not true. You'll see when you get back, everything is in order."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Amanda piped in, looking at Jesse, grinning.

"Me too," Jesse said.

Steve changed the subject as he sat down in the other chair. "So Jess, how are you doing?"

"Mm okay." Jesse answered. "How are you? You, you look tired."

Steve smiled at his friend's question. Leave it to Jesse, always concerned about everyone else. "Look who's talking. That's like the pot calling the kettle black."

Jesse smiled. "Just askin'"

"I'm fine. We've been a little busier the last couple of days, but the case was open and shut."

"Oh, yeah, the Morgan case." Amanda said. "That's all cleared up?"

"Yep, just finished the final paperwork today. It was pretty simple to begin with."

"Those are always nice," Amanda replied. She looked back at Jesse, who had become quiet all of the sudden. He was panting slightly, his eyes closed. He was starting to look a little green.

Suddenly his eyes opened and he moaned. "Amanda, don't, feel so good." He managed.

Amanda quickly grabbed a basin from the bedside table and held it under Jesse's mouth just in time. He proceeded to throw up all the water he had just drunk, mixed with bile. She rubbed Jesse's back as he heaved, his small body wracked with the violent movement. Steve had stood up quickly, but felt helpless as to how he could help his friend. It also worried him. He ran out of the room to find Mark.

Jesse dry heaved for a few minutes after his body had dispelled everything he had consumed, but those few minutes felt like hours. Tears sprung to his eyes and each shuddered breath he took displayed his agony. Amanda tried her best to help her young friend, supporting his weak frame, trying to soothe him, but she too felt helpless. She hated to see Jesse suffering, and in obvious pain.

After he was finished Jesse admitted a painful sigh and Amanda helped him lay back down in the bed. He closed his eyes and whimpered quietly.

Amanda dipped the washcloth in fresh water and placed it back on his forehead. "I'm so sorry Jesse," she said softly, stroking his brow with the washcloth.

"Hurts," Jesse managed as he opened his pain laced eyes.

"I know Jess," Amanda said. "The amount of water you drank probably shocked your stomach. Here," She took the cup again. "Take one small sip. We'll do that every 30 minutes or so, to keep you hydrated."

Jesse took a small sip of the water. The vomiting ordeal had dispelled all vain attempts he had made to ignore the pain that was ravaging his body, and it had exhausted him. He moaned quietly, and shifted in the bed. Nothing would make him comfortable.

"Jesse, try to relax." Amanda said. "You need your rest. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep okay?"

"kay," Jesse whispered. He had to will himself to fall asleep. He was exhausted, but the pain was beginning to come back with a vengeance.

Steve returned that moment with Mark. Mark stopped at the sight of Jesse with his eyes closed. "Good he fell asleep." He said.

"No, he didn't." came the whispered reply from the bed as Jesse opened his eyes and looked at his mentor. "Mark, it hurts." He said, his voice barely audible.

"I know Jess." Mark said. "It will get better, but for now you need to sleep. I can't give you another sedative, your system needs to fight this. The sedative can have anticoagulant effects, and your blood count is very low as a result of the virus. I can give you Tylenol for the pain, that will help you sleep."

Jesse closed his eyes. "Okay," he whispered.

"I'm sorry Jesse, I wish I could do more." Mark responded sadly.

"It's okay, I understand. You, do, best, you…." Jesse's voiced trailed off. Clearly the exhaustion had gotten the best of him as he drifted off to sleep.

Steve was shifting his weight, looking back and forth between his father and Jesse. "Um, is throwing up normal?" He asked, clearly worried about Jesse's previous episode.

"Yes, it is." Mark replied. "It's a typical reaction. Come on, let's go, we don't want to disturb him."

Steve followed his father and Amanda out the door, looking back at his sleeping friend as he walked out. He hated seeing Jesse so sick. He remembered the last time, and the thought made him shudder. The memory of that genetically altered smallpox virus was not something he wanted to dwell on. He caught up with Mark and Amanda and tried to put it out of his mind.

"So Steve, anything interesting going on at the precinct?" Amanda asked as they entered the lounge.

"Not really," Steve replied. "It hasn't been very eventful. Nothing for you two to meddle in," He finished with a mischievous smile.

"Watch your tongue young man," Mark chided jokingly as he poured them coffee. "If I do recall, there have been several times where OUR help cracked the case."

"Yes, I do recall." Steve responded, smiling. Mark, Amanda, and Jesse usually helped in his cases a great deal. Or, he remembered grimly again, they were part of the case. The smallpox memory was back. Jesse had lost consciousness right before they got the vaccine. He almost died, he had mere moments left when they got the vaccine to him. Steve looked up at his father. "Dad, this dengue, or whatever it's called, um, it's strictly a natural illness right? There's nothing, nothing abnormal about it right?"

Mark frowned at Steve's serious tone. He knew what Steve was implying. "No, it's nothing abnormal. Jesse's blood work had the dengue virus, not anything foreign. It's not like before."

"You're positive?"

"Yes, we're positive."

"I looked at the blood work too Steve." Amanda said. "Mark's right, it's a virus Jesse got from a mosquito. He'll be fine."

**The next day**

Steve opened up the door to Jesse's room cautiously, hoping not to disturb his friend if he was asleep. He was apprehensive, Jesse's condition the day before had scared him a little bit, but he wanted to see how he was doing. He slowly eased the door opened and stepped inside.

"Hey Steve,"

Steve was shocked to see Jesse awake, propped up to a near sitting position in his bed, with a smile on his face. "Hey Jess, how are you feeling."

"Surprisingly, a little better," Jesse responded. "Still achy, and I'm not going anywhere, but it's bearable."

Steve smiled. Jesse's voice was still very weak, his face pale, and the weight loss apparent. But he didn't look as uncomfortable as the day before. "That's good Jess. I guess you're recovering quicker than Dad thought."

"Um, well, yes and no. Mark told me that this is like the eye of the storm." Jesse answered. "Apparently a lot of times the virus lapses for a day, then comes back harder."

"Oh," Steve said. They lapsed into silence.

"But," Jesse said, trying to smile reassuringly. "I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity."

Steve sat down in the chair next to Jesse's bed. "Well that sounds good to me. So, you feel up to telling me something about Tanzania?"

Jesse grinned. "Sure," he said. His voice was soft and weak, but he wanted to talk. "It was incredible. I stayed at a small house that the aid workers live in. The people were so amazing. I made a little friend, Aminia, she's 7. She's beautiful and precious. I wanted to bring her home with me. Her father died when she was a baby in a tribal scuffle, and her mother-" he stopped, and looked down.

Steve looked at his friend. "Jess, you okay?"

Jesse sighed. "Yeah, sorry. Her mother, she died of AIDS a few weeks before I got there. Aminia has a sister, but she has AIDS too. Aminia is the only member of her family who isn't infected. It's so tragic, and, just, well, hard to even think about."

Steve nodded. He couldn't even imagine the pain of losing both parents at such a young age. "That's really sad." He said. Okay, change the subject. "So, what are the workers like over there?"

"Well, there's Randall, the project head. He was very friendly and charismatic, but he seemed a little nervous about the partnership. He probably wanted everything to look perfect. And Asia, she was great. She translated for me, and showed me around. I got to know her pretty well." He said, a smile coming to his face.

"Asia huh?" Steve teased. "Do you have a crush on this girl?"

"No!" Jesse said. At Steve's look, he continued to defend himself. "Asia is beautiful, charming, and intelligent. She's devoted her life to helping hurting people. She's attractive both on the inside and out, but she's in Tanzania, and doesn't plan on ever settling down in the US."

"Aw, that's too bad." Steve said. "So was she shorter than you." He grinned.

"Yes." Jesse responded, glaring at Steve.

"Just barely though right?"

"Ha-ha" Jesse said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Well, it sounds like it was pretty incredible." Steve said.

"Yeah, it was." Jesse replied. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, and flinched.

Steve looked at Jesse with concern. "Jess, you okay?"

Jesse opened his eyes. "Yeah," he said softly. "My head's starting to hurt again." He gasped quietly and brought his hand to his head. "Well," he said, his voice strained. "I guess the relapse is coming quicker than I thought."

Steve stood up. "I'm going to go get Dad."

"No, it's, okay, I just need, to sleep." Jesse said, and looked up. Steve was already gone. He sighed and tightly shut his eyes, willing the sleep to come.

A moment later Steve came back with Mark. "Jesse?" Mark said.

Jesse's eyes opened at the sound of Mark's voice. "Hey Mark," He whispered.

"Steve said your headache is back."

"Yeah, a little bit." Jesse answered. "Can I have some aspirin or something?"

"Absolutely," Mark answered. As if on cue, a nurse walked in. "Will you get Dr. Travis some aspirin and a thermometer?"

"Yes sir." She answered and pulled a thermometer out of her pocket. Mark took it and placed it in Jesse's ear. "Hmm, 103.1. Your temperature has risen again."

Jesse sighed. "Well, it was fun while it lasted."

"Almost a whole day," Mark said, looking at his watch. "It's 6:30."

"Jess, I'm sorry. I hope our conversation didn't bring this on quicker." Steve said guiltily.

"Nah Steve, I enjoyed being coherent for a little while." Jesse said, smiling. "But, I think lala land is, calling my, name." He finished with a sigh and closed his eyes, letting sleep come.

"Good, that's exactly what he needs." Mark said softly as Steve and he left Jesse's room. "It's good that he's been able to fall asleep."

"Yeah. It's only going to be for a few more days right?"

"Yep," Mark replied. "Then some time at the beach house to regain his strength, then he'll be good old excitable crazy Jesse once again."

**4 Days later**

"Alright Jess, you ready to go?" Mark came into Jesse's room with a wheelchair.

"Absolutely," Jesse said. "I only enjoy being here when I'm working." He put his feet on the floor and quickly stood up, immediately regretting it as the room started to spin. "Whoa," He muttered, grabbing the bed for support.

"Easy there," Mark said as he helped Jesse sit down in the chair. "You haven't stood in days, so this chair is going to be your escort to my car."

"I honestly don't disagree with you." Jesse replied.

Mark had pulled his car up to the overhang outside the main entrance to the hospital. He wheeled Jesse out to the main reception area. The nurses all spoke their greetings to their favorite ER doctor. Jesse smiled and looked up at Mark. "People like me," he whispered, grinning.

"Ha, don't let it get to your head," Mark said, smiling back at Jesse.

"Jesse!"

Jesse jerked his head back towards the entrance. He was shocked at who he saw. "Asia?" He said. Mark had stopped pushing the wheel chair, so Jesse stood up and started towards her, pushing aside his unsteadiness.

Asia looked horrible. She was pale and breathing heavily. Her dark brown hair was disheveled and her already small frame was gaunt. She staggered towards Jesse. "Jesse, I'm so glad you're here."

"Asia, what, what are you doing here?" Jesse was completely shocked, and judging by the look on Asia's face, for whatever reason she was in LA, it wasn't good.

The dark shadows under Asia's green eyes highlighted the tears that formed quickly. "It's, the hospital, the village, the- everything!" She had reached Jesse and he put his hands on her shoulders. "He, he's- Randall-" her voice cut off, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she passed out in Jesse's arms.

Asia's physical condition couldn't have put her weight at more than 95 pounds, but the sudden addition of that weight to Jesse's body was more than he could bear. He sank to his knees with Asia's limp body in his arms. As Mark and a few nurses rushed to their aid, the last 30 seconds fully registered into Jesse's adrenaline laced body, and he felt himself falling, and everything went black.


End file.
